Porcelain played a starring role in the lavish ball and banqueting culture of the Russian tsars. They commissioned ornate services from leading porcelain factories such as Wedgwood, Sèvres and Gardner, whose artistic achievements were astounding. The services made by the factories in Meissen and Berlin and given to the Russian rulers as diplomatic gifts were no less extraordinary.
This book presents eight magnificent services from the collection of the Hermitage in St Petersburg, seven owned by the tsars and one by the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. The beauty of the porcelain is an important focal point of the exhibition, but there are also fascinating stories associated with the services and their owners. The introduction explores the grandeur of Dining with the Tsars through the centuries.
Dining with the Tsars is the title of this catalogue and the exhibition organised to mark the occasion of the Hermitage Amsterdam's fifth anniversary. Especially for this festive celebration, fitting decorations and masterpieces in silver, bronze and glass will be displayed along with the services.